I want to go more in depth with this 1. Chief Executives: Mayors, Governors, and Presidents The president is the national government's chief executive, the top elected official in charge of enforcing laws and carrying out government policy. State and local governments also have chief executives. In the states, this official is the governor. At the local level, it is usually a mayor. Formal Qualifications: Age, Citizenship, and Residency Adlai Stevenson, who ran for president twice in the 1950s, once said, "In America, anyone can become president." That is not quite true. Any candidate seeking the presidency must satisfy certain qualifications laid down in the Constitution. The president must be a native-born citizen, be at least 35 years of age, and have lived in the country for at least 14 years. The Twenty-second Amendment, ratified in 1951, added another rule: no one who has been elected president twice or who has served one full term plus more than half of another term can seek the office again. This amendment formalized the custom of a two-term president. This custom, established by George Washington, was broken only once, by four-term president Franklin Roosevelt, prior to ratification of the amendment. Most state and local governments set less stringent requirements for their chief executives. In Kentucky, for example, candidates for governor need only be 30 years old and must have lived in the state for 6 years. California has no minimum age or residency requirements. In that state, candidates for governor must simply be U.S. citizens and registered voters. In contrast to presidential requirements, such citizenship can be by birth or naturalization. Requirements for mayors are even looser. Many towns and cities require only that mayors be legal adults. Several high school seniors and college students have served as mayors. For example, in 2014, Kevin Green was just 18 when he was elected mayor of Archer City, Texas. Other Factors that Influence Elections Other factors may influence what voters look for in their political leaders. Typically, chief executives have backgrounds in business, law, or public service. Most are well educated. Nearly three-quarters of all presidents have earned college degrees. Most have worked their way up the political ladder by holding other elective offices. There are exceptions, however. Abraham Lincoln, one of this country's most admired presidents, had little formal schooling. Although he had served as an Illinois legislator and a member of Congress, he had lost several political races before winning the presidency. Donald Trump also did not have a career in public service or hold elective office before becoming president. Race and gender have also played a role in who has historically been selected as president. Most chief executives have been white, male, and from the middle or upper class. In fact, all U.S. presidents were white males until 2009 when Barack Obama took office and became the first African American president. States and cities, however, have made greater progress in representing a broad spectrum of the American population for their chief executives. Women, though not yet winning the presidency, have made strides at both state and local levels. The first female governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross, was elected in Wyoming in 1924. Since then, 35 more women have been elected governor of their states or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. In 2007, a record 9 of the 50 state governors were women. At the local level, female mayors led nearly 22 percent of American cities with populations greater than 30,000 in 2018. Ethnic minorities have also had increasing success in gaining chief executive positions. Only two African Americans—Douglas Wilder of Virginia and Deval Patrick of Massachusetts—have been elected governor. But many African Americans have been elected mayor of major cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Washington, D.C. In 2011, Susana Martinez assumed the gubernatorial office in New Mexico and became the first Latina governor in the United States. Nikki Haley became the country's first female Asian American governor after she was elected in South Carolina in 2010. In 2005, Antonio Villaraigosa became the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles in more than a century. Religious affiliation can be another factor voters consider, especially for presidential candidates. Almost all U.S. presidents have been Protestant. Until John F. Kennedy's election in 1961, it was assumed that a Catholic candidate could never win the presidency. Kennedy succeeded, in part, by promising to keep his religious and political beliefs separate. "I am not the Catholic candidate for president," he declared. "I am the Democratic Party's candidate for president, who happens also to be a Catholic." Even today, a non-Protestant candidate would likely face an uphill battle in winning the presidency.

In a survey conducted in 2007, the Gallup Organization asked Americans what qualities they were looking for in their next president. Of those surveyed, 77 percent said that it is essential that the next president is a decisive leader. Gaining Office: Election and Succession Most chief executives, including governors and mayors, are elected by popular vote. The president, in contrast, is chosen by the Electoral College, based on the popular vote count in each state. In some state and local elections, the candidate who wins a plurality of the vote is declared the winner. In other states and cities, however, the candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to win. If that does not happen, the top two candidates must compete in a runoff election, which is designed to produce a clear winner. Succession rules for the presidency are spelled out in the Constitution and federal law. Should a president be unable to complete a four-year term because of death, disability, resignation, or removal from office, the law provides clear guidelines for replacing the chief executive. The line of succession for the presidency begins with the vice president. If the vice president cannot serve, the next successor is the speaker of the House, followed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, and then by the secretary of state. Beyond that, other cabinet members continue the line of succession in a specific order. It is often said that the vice president is "a heartbeat away" from the presidency. Indeed, the main job of the vice president is to take over if something should happen to the president. The Constitution gives the vice president almost no formal powers other than this one. For that reason, some politicians have shunned the chance to run for vice president. In 1848, Daniel Webster refused to become a vice presidential candidate, saying, "I do not propose to be buried until I am really dead." Nevertheless, 14 vice presidents have gone on to become chief executive. In addition, recent vice presidents have been given substantial responsibilities by the president. During George W. Bush's administration, Vice President Dick Cheney held a significant amount of power and played a key role in shaping national security policy. The vice president holds little formal power under the Constitution. However, recent vice presidents, such as Dick Cheney, have had more significant responsibilities. In most states, a lieutenant governor holds a comparable position to that of the vice president. This official stands in for the governor when necessary but generally has few formal duties. Staying in Office: Impeachment, Recalls, Term Limits, and Incumbency If a president, vice president, or other official in the executive branch is suspected of wrongdoing, that person may be impeached and removed from office. The framers made the impeachment process difficult, however, to prevent it from being used for frivolous reasons. To be removed, an official must be convicted of "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. Demonstrators protested Governor Scott Walker’s budget and limitation of bargaining rights for unions. However, not all Wisconsin voters agreed with the demonstrators. Many approved of Walker’s efforts to reel in government spending. Some others disliked Walker’s policies but also felt wary of recalling an elected official so soon. Ultimately, voters elected to keep Walker in office. Impeachment begins in the House of Representatives. A majority of House members must vote to impeach, or formally accuse, the president or other officer of wrongdoing. The trial is then held in the Senate. Two-thirds of the senators must find the official guilty to remove that person from office. The House has impeached only two presidents—Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton—and the Senate found neither guilty. Richard Nixon resigned rather than face impeachment during the Watergate scandal. But what if citizens are simply unhappy with the job their chief executive is doing? For presidents, there is no provision for midterm removal based on job performance. Many states and cities, however, do have procedures by which voters can order a recall of elected officials. The California recall took place in 2003, in which the voters chose to replace Governor Gray Davis with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Almost a decade later, in 2012, Wisconsin attempted to recall a governor in a special election, but failed. As governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker proposed a plan to help balance the state budget. This plan cut benefits for public employees and greatly limited the ability of unions to bargain. As a result, disgruntled workers and unions organized protests. United Wisconsin, a grassroots organization, led a recall effort and petitioned for signatures, eventually gathering enough to hold a special election. Still, many Wisconsin voters supported Walker's attempts to reduce government spending. When the recall election took place on June 5, 2012, Walker won, retaining his position as governor. Many chief executives are also subject to term limits. As noted previously, presidents are restricted to no more than two terms in office. Many states and cities also set term limits on their governors and mayors. In most cases, governors are held to two consecutive terms in office. However, in some states, they may run for reelection four years after their last term. The power of incumbency in winning reelection is not as strong for chief executives as it is for legislators. That may be because chief executives serve as a "lightning rod" for voter discontent. When voters are dissatisfied with government, they often blame their chief executive. Since World War II, three presidents have been defeated in their run for a second term: Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush.